Tag: religion

God’s Not Dead Reflection

God's Not DeadDirections: Answer ALL of the questions below.  The page titled, Reflection Rubric,  will be used to access this reflection.  It can be found on the left side (third from top) under pages. When finished, print off your response and hand in or email it to Mr. S.

INTRODUCTION:  Dr. Radisson gives the class their first assignment. He passes out blank papers, and demands that each student write, “God is dead” and signs their names in order to get a passing grade. Josh refuses, so the professor forces him to take an alternate assignment; Josh will be given time in the next three lectures to prove the existence of God. If the students in his class are convinced, he passes the assignment. If not, he fails the semester, and thus his chances at a prestigious law degree.

Thomas Jefferson once said, “In matters of style, swim with the current.  In matters of principle, stand like a rock”.

QUESTIONS: What Jefferson is referring to when he says,   “…In matters of principle, stand like a rock” is integrity.  1) What is integrity? 2)  Is Josh taking a stand an example of integrity? How so?  3)  Are the other 70 plus students in the class just cowards or followers which is what  Jefferson is referring to when he says,   “In matters of style, swim with the current…”?  Explain your reasoning.

RS35: In Pursuit of Happyness Assignment

Picture 1The movie Pursuit of Happyness is based on the true story of Chris Gardner’s struggle to achieve his share of the American dream.

Directions: Answer ALL of questions below.  The page titled, Reflection Rubric,  will be used to access this reflection.  It can be found on the left side (third from top) under pages. When finished, print off your response and hand in or email it to Mr. S.

1)  In our society, fulfillment may be found on such things as having the latest car, the biggest house, the largest bonus and bank account. Their satisfaction and happiness are tied to material riches and other societal labels of success.  What is happiness?  Click on the link (definitions) to see a number of definitions.  Which of these definitions do you agree with? Explain why.

2)  Christopher Gardner makes the statement “Maybe happiness is something that we can only pursue. And maybe we can actually never have it no matter what”.  Do you agree with this statement?  Why or why not?

3)  How does a person achieve happiness?  The article Happy Thoughts has suggestions on how to achieve happiness.  Read the article.  Do you agree or disagree with the article’s methods?  Explain why or why not?

Religion 35: World Religions and Peace

peace symbolThere are many points of view about whether peace on this planet we call earth is possible.  Some believe peace could never be attained.  Others such as Religions for Peace, the largest international coalition of representatives from the world’s great religions, are dedicated to promoting peace.

They believe in respecting religious differences while celebrating our common humanity, Religions for Peace is active on every continent and in some of the most troubled areas of the world, creating multi-religious partnerships to confront our most dire issues: stopping war, ending poverty, and protecting the earth.

Hans Kung, a German theologian says, there will be “No peace among the nations without peace among the religions. (Hans Küng, Christianity: Essence, History, Future)

Mitra Sen, Canadian teacher, filmmaker, and creator of the Peace Tree says,  “Let us embrace the beauty of every culture and faith to create peace in our world.”

Thich Nhat Hanh Buddhist monk and peace activist says,  “How do you want to create peace, if there is no peace inside yourselves?”

Mahatma Gandhi once said,  “Be the peace you wish for the world.”

Question: Do you believe world peace is possible?  Why or why not?  Which of the above people do you think has the right idea or a way to achieve world peace?  Clearly explain why .

 

Justice

Not an option, justice is a mandate of Catholic faith. From the beginning, the educational mission of the church has been seem as participation in God’s saving mission. The divine edict of justice requires education for personal and social transformation.

The Catholic school, since it is motivated by the gospel message of Jesus Christ to proclaim liberty to the oppressed, is particularly sensitive to the call from every part of the world for a more just society, and it tries to make its own contribution towards it. It does not stop at the courageous teaching of the demands into practice, first in its own community in the daily life of the school, and then in the wider community.

Catholic schools aim towards a synthesis of faith and culture, of faith and life, syntheses that characterize mature faith. A mature faith will be able to recognize and reject cultural counter-values which threaten human dignity and are therefore contrary to the gospel.

Although all the problems of religion and faith will not be completely solved by academic studies, nevertheless, the Catholic school should be a privileged place for finding adequate ways to deal with these problems.

Strategies to incorporate the Justice Dimension of Catholic schools:

RS 15: Awakenings Reflection #1

Directions: Answer ONE the question below.  The page titled, Reflection Rubric,  will be used to access this reflection.  It can be found on the left side (third from top) under pages. When finished, print off your response and hand in or email it to Mr. S.  Use the following information in your response.

Catholic catechism provide seven answers:

  • Humans are created in the image and likeness of God.
  • Humans are called to happiness and holiness.
  • Humans are rational and free.
  • Humans are moral beings.
  • Humans have passions or feelings.
  • Humans are blessed with a conscience.
  • Humans are able to sin.

1.   Just after Dr. Malcolm Sayer got his job at the chronic hospital, he was taken on a tour of the facility.  During that tour, the following conversation occurred:

Dr. Sayer:             “Excuse me.  What are all these people waiting for?

Guide:                   “They’re not”

Dr. Sayer:             “How are they supposed to get well?”

Guide:                  “They’re not.  They’re chronic.  We call this place the garden.  All we do  is feed and water.”

What does this conversation tell you about the view of the patients in the chronic hospital?  Does the hospital staff see these patients as human?  Explain, using one or more of the statements in the Catholic catechism, if the catatonic patients are human or not.

OR

2.  Dr. Sayer discusses his post-encephalic, catatonic patients with a doctor who once treated them.  The retired doctor describe these patients as, “insubstantial as ghosts”, “children who fell asleep” and as “people who were once normal but are now elsewhere”. Leonard’s mother when describing her son’s progression said, “He never spoke again.  It was like he disappeared”.  Were these people dead (not in a physical sense)?  Explain.  If these patients seem “dead”, then are these patients  human?  Explain using one or more of the statements in the Catholic catechism.

Religous Studies: The Human Experience Reflection #2

Directions: Answer the question below.  The page titled, Reflection Rubric,  will be used to access this reflection.  It can be found on the left side (third from top) under pages. When finished, print off your response and hand in or email it to Mr. S.

Experience II:  The abandoned children of Peru

Anna Halpine, World Youth Alliance stated, “In the West today, many young people do not have a meaning and purpose to their life. They’re looking to say, does my life matter? Do I have a unique contribution to make… In the developing countries, this is much more clear…for them it…[is a] a need to survive…to get an education…a job because someone needs me…when you recognize that you have a real mission, an indispensable contribution to make, then you embrace life, you celebrate life in a completely different way”.

Questions: Have people, especially young people, in the Western World lost their way? In other words, have they lost their sense of purpose and as a result no longer live life fully and joyfully? Provide reasons for your answer. Could it be true that people in the third world (e.g. Africa) really do embrace life more fully and celebrate life more than us in the 1st world?  It states in John 10:10b, “I [Jesus] came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”  What is it about Jesus and/or his message that might allow people to live life fully and joyfully? If you are not familiar with some of Jesus’ messages, click the link, Jesus’ message of love.  Could love (in this case agape love) bring joy and fulfillment? Always justify your answers with examples, supporting quotes, etc.

Religious Studies 25: Who is Jesus? Webquest

Directions:

  1. Use Google images, to search for artist’s portrayals of Jesus.
  2. Pick out the  artist’s picture that  BEST portrays the Jesus as you believe he was.  COPY  the image and place it into a word document. Write a brief explanation indicating what it is in the picture that reveals the “real” Jesus to you.
  3. Pick out the  artist’s picture that  LEAST portrays the Jesus as you believe he was.  COPY  the image and place it into a word document. Write a brief explanation indicating what it is in the picture that least reveals the “real” Jesus to you.

Examples

This image best portrays Jesus because he is laughing. The bible says Jesus was loving person. In John 13:35, it says, By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’ Disciples follow their leader, so Jesus must have been loving. Disciples wanted to be with Jesus, and they won’t want to be with someone who is unhappy, sad or angry.  Therefore, for me, loving people to me are joyous and happy people.

 

 

 

 

 

This image least portrays Jesus because he is angry. Rarely does the bible ever speak of Jesus being angry. The only example that I know of  was when Jesus cleared the temple of the moneychangers and animal-sellers.   Loving people are rarely angry. For me, loving people, such as Jesus, are joyous and happy people.  They are not angry people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Religious Studies: The Human Experience Reflection #1

Directions: Answer ONE of questions below.  The page titled, Reflection Rubric,  will be used to access this reflection.  It can be found on the left side (third from top) under pages. When finished, print off your response and hand in or email it to Mr. S.

Experience I:  Homeless people of New York City

Jeffrey Azize said, “Everyone lives differently.  When you go somewhere out of your own comfort zone; out of your own realm, and you enter someone else’s; that’s learning”.  In other words, Jeff is saying the same thing as the proverb, “Never judge a man until you’ve walked a mile [1.6 km] in his shoes.”

In John 8:12-15 it says, Again Jesus spoke to them saying, ‘I am the light of the world…you judge by human standards; I judge no one.'”  In Matthew 7:1-2 it says, Do not judge so that you may not be judged.  For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.” 

Questions: Is Jesus, in scripture, saying the same thing as Jeffery?  Explain why or why not. Christian Slater, an actor, says, “Good judgement comes from experience. Sometimes, experience comes from bad judgement”.  Jeffry in the movie exemplifies Slater’s quote.  Explain how Jeffry and his brother’s experience as a homeless people provides evidence that Slater’s quote is true.

You may want to read these texts in context to help you with your response.  The Oremus Bible Browser will aid you in doing this.

OR

Jeffrey Azize stated: “You become more humble… you can feel the humility that the homeless people go through. And I don’t know. It’s different… my whole heart feels different.

In Matthew 18.4, it says, “Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”  In Colossians 3:12-17, it is written, “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.”  You may want to read these texts in context to help you with your response.

Questions:  What does it mean to be humble or have humility?  Explain why  humility would be one of the qualities of holiness?  How is it possible for a person to have humility in our 21st century world when our society teaches us to be competitive; encouraging us to be number 1? 

Religious Studies 25: Little Buddha Reflection Question

Instructions:  Answer the questions below.  The page titled, Reflection Rubric,  will be used to access this reflection.  It can be found on the left side (third from top) under pages.  When finished, print off your response and hand in or email it to Mr. S.

The movie involves two stories happening simultaneously.  One is the story of Prince Siddhartha and the other is the story involving Jesse Conrad.  

Jesse asks the Lama, “Was Buddha a God?”  The Monk responds with, “No, a real person.  Like Jesus.  Yes, like Jesus.”    Christians, on the other hand,  believe that Jesus is the Son of God, both human and divine. 1)   Do Buddhists believe the same thing, that is, Buddha (the enlightened Siddhartha) is both human and God?  Explain (you may have review what you have learned about Buddhism in class),  2)   How is the  story of Siddhartha similar to that of Jesus?  How is this story different to that of Jesus?  Provide at least two specific examples.  3)  What is the biggest difference between Buddhism and Christianity?  Explain your thinking.